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Reid: GOP Senators Should ‘Stop Waffling’ on Trump

Minority leader says not going to the Cleveland convention isn't enough

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, on Monday, called the likely Republican nominee Donald Trump a "billionaire con man who scams working people." (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, on Monday, called the likely Republican nominee Donald Trump a "billionaire con man who scams working people." (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid mocked Republican senators who remain noncommittal about their support for Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee.  

Returning from a May recess, the Nevada Democrat was ready to pounce on Monday, saying that simply announcing they would not attend the Republican National Convention would not be enough to separate GOP senators from Trump.  

“Hillary Clinton is going to be the Democratic nominee. I support Hillary Clinton. I’m not hiding from that,” Reid said in a floor speech. “Republican senators need to stop waffling about Donald Trump.”  



[Related: What’s a Vulnerable Republican To Do?]

Some GOP senators, including Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Ben Sasse of Nebraska, have said they won’t vote for Trump , while others, including Arizona’s Jeff Flake, remain uncommitted. John McCain, also of Arizona, said he will support the GOP nominee, but will not attend July’s convention.  

[

Related: Republicans Who Just Say No to Trump

]  

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky did not speak about Trump in his remarks on Monday. Reid followed him on the floor where he described the presumptive head of the Republican ticket as “a billionaire con man who scams working people.”  

[

Related: Lindsey Graham Won’t Vote for Trump

]  

“Here’s a person who is gifted with the resources to make a difference in this world … he could be doing many things to improve the lives of working Americans,” Reid said. “He uses that fame as a bully pulpit to sell hatred and intolerance.”  

“He’s no accident,” Reid continued. “Donald Trump is the natural evolution of a party that’s spent eight years honing a platform that is anti-immigrant, anti-woman, anti-Obama and anti-working people.”  

Contact Lesniewski at nielslesniewski@cqrollcall.com and follow him on Twitter @nielslesniewski.

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